Vinacomin signs up Vinh Tan coal

The state-owned Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group (Vinacomin) has signed a framework contract to buy 3.5 million metric tons of coal a year from the Indonesian miner PT Berau and the Indonesia based Maintime. The coal will be used to help fire the first phase of the Vinh Tan-1 coal-fired project.

The Vinh Tan complex in Binh Thuan province is projected to have 4,400 megawatts (MW) of capacity. The 1,200-MW first phase is being developed on an independent power producer basis by a joint venture between the China Southern Grid Corporation and the local state-owned power holding group Electricity of Vietnam (EVN).

The two 600-MW units are scheduled to enter operation in 2011 and 2012. EVN sought funding for the project from the Asian Development Bank in July 2007.

The 1,200-MW second-phase project at Vinh Tan is being developed by EVN alone with the two 600-MW units scheduled to enter operation in 2013 and 2014. The 2,000-MW third-phase project is also being developed by EVN with the two 1,000-MW units which are scheduled to enter operation in 2015 and 2016.